Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that he will not travel to Istanbul for peace talks on Ukraine. This information was published on May 14 on the Kremlin's official website, which mentions the composition of the Russian delegation during the negotiations.
What is the composition of the Russian delegation?
The Russian delegation will be headed by Vladimir Medinsky, Assistant to the President of Russia. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Andrey Belousov were also excluded. Instead, the Kremlin will send Lavrov's deputy, Mikhail Galuzin, Belousov's deputy, Alexander Fomin, and the head of the General Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Igor Kostyukov, to the negotiations.
Putin's List of Peace Negotiation Experts
The Kremlin also published a list of "experts for negotiations with Ukraine," approved by Putin. The list includes Alexander Zorin, First Deputy Head of the Information Department of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Elena Podobreyevskaya, Deputy Head of the Presidential Department of State Policy in the Humanitarian Sphere, Alexey Polishchuk, Director of the Second Department for CIS Countries of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other specialists.
Donald Trump will also not attend the negotiations in Istanbul
US President Donald Trump also confirmed that he would not attend the negotiations in Istanbul. According to Sky News and Reuters, sources in the Trump administration stated that the US would not participate in the negotiations. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump's special envoys Stephen Whitkoff, and Keith Kellogg are expected to participate in the Istanbul talks.
Zelenskyy's invitation to negotiations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited them to Istanbul to hold personal talks with Putin. Zelenskyy emphasized that only Putin could make the decision to cease fire.
Zelenskyy is expected to arrive in Istanbul
On the night of May 15, Reuters, citing an unnamed Ukrainian official, reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to Istanbul.
